The Niagara Region has been experiencing an increased demand for emergen­cy health services, which places non-sustainable demand on available resources. Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) engaged in strategic program development to address low acuity mental health and addictions calls in the community. This resulted in Welland McMaster FHT’s 2018 Bright Lights-nominated program - Mental Health and Addictions Response Team (MHART).

CBC News article published on November 27, 2018 By CBC News A clinic in a small northwestern Ontario town is enjoying some recognition after taking a chance on an unusual approach to opioid prescription. For the past several years, the Marathon Family Health Team, located in Marathon, Ont., has required urine drug tests of every patient prescribed opioids for chronic pain.